#shorts On 12/8/2022, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, “And one more on Brittney Griner. I understand how the deal went down and what the Russians were willing to give. But how do you dispel the public perception that if you are a celebrity or a professional athlete, you get preferential treatment in a situation like this?”

MS. Jean-Pierre: … This was not a choice for us on — of which American to bring home. That was not the choice. It was a choice between bringing home one American or bringing home none. And we brought one home today, and that is important to note … We would have preferred, of course — of course, we’d have preferred to see them both released. That’s what we’ve been calling on. That’s what you’ve been hearing from me and the President these past — this past year. But we did not want to lose the opportunity before us to secure the release of one of them. And so that was the choice: one or none, and not “which one.” It was either none or one.

other clips of this published longer video is here: https://youtu.be/6I1SglPcUaQ

Prefer athlete over Marine? A: of course, of course prefer both released